Fun Facts | DENT Creative Reuse

FUN FACTS + MORE FUN

ABOUT

DENT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, located in Winston Salem, North Carolina. We are a hybrid machine: part reuse center, part art lab, part concerned citizens who believe in educational opportunities and learning new skills with old stuff. Some say we’re even part-time! Our core is a group of ‘curious’ individuals who are united in our pursuit of helping the environment and seeing the value in building community and in reusing materials. We come from a variety of backgrounds. We are not afraid to make fun of ourselves and find value in learning from mistakes. Some of us are artistic and others can’t draw a straight line if our lives depended on it. We welcome you to join us in effort to make DENT an active, vital, and resourceful addition to the Winston Salem area.

We are a hybrid machine: part reuse center, part art lab, part concerned citizens who believe in educational opportunities and learning new skills with old stuff.

BOARD MEMBERS*

Maria Blevins, co-founder

Lyndon Bray

David J Brown, Director/co-founder

Amy Clinton-Corbett

Nancey Cost

Drew Gerstmyer

Duncan Lewis

Jessica Sedo

Christine Toole

*We are always looking for new and engaged board members that represent all of Winston Salem to join us. Please CONTACT US if you are interested in learning more about this opportunity.

BE INSPIRED. RADICALLY CREATE

Where will DENT be located?

We don’t know yet but some place that’s big, accessible, and centrally located. In the meantime, we do pop-ups, conduct workshops, and are in the process of retrofitting the DMU (DENT Mobile Unit), a 1968 step van, that will bring DENT to all areas of the Winston Salem area.
What is a Creative Reuse Center?

Creative Reuse Centers are non-profits that collect used and un-used materials (from people like you and from businesses, like yours) that are usually destined for the dump. WE DIVERT THESE MATERIALS FROM THE WASTE STREAM. Most of us operate a brick and mortar operation where we sell these items (cheaply) and encourage creative upcycling, (re-using the materials for creative purposes: everything from costumes, artwork, enhancing your yard and living space, to ‘making’ and ‘inventing’ things of all kinds. You are only limited by your imagination and your skills will increase with practice. At the end of the day, we like to use our hands and our brains!
Will you offer classes and workshops?

YES! Our unique DENTevents programming, performances, and hands-on workshops will be geared towards fun-based creative learning. For instance, we might do a weekend workshop that combines Samba Dancing with Learning to Mig Weld! We can guarantee you won’t find programming like this anywhere else but here.
You're an Art Laboratory too? What's with that?

Within the Creative Reuse model (that is over 30 years old at this point), we think there is plenty of room for 'encouraging creative activities.' Some of us have a lot of experience in making this happen; in forming collaboartive partnerships; and in making all kinds of art experiences occur.
This sounds interesting! How can I get involved or find out more about DENT?

You can volunteer, get on our mailing/email list, join our Facebook group, make a donation and become a FODder (Friend of DENT). You’ll sleep better at night for doing so! We also welcome your input. Contact us!
What kind of materials will you collect and sell?

All kinds of interesting materials… from test tubes to steel beams, leather pelts and fabric stashes to golf balls, misprinted stationary, bike parts, junk jewelry, old, odd and interesting objects, architectural salvage, beads and jewelry, hardware, (safe) industrial cast-offs, maybe even some things that we don’t have a name for, like thing-a-ma-bobs and what-cha-ma-call-its (parts of something that we can no longer identify but look pretty damn interesting). Don’t worry, we’ll have some regular art supplies too. Think of it as an experimental thrift store for artists (and in case you don’t know, everyone is an artist in our book).

DON'T THROW IT OUT

REUSE

IT!

Besides operating a donation center, retail store, and art laboratory, DENT will also feature unique, interesting, and hands-on programs and workshops for people from all ages and walks of life to help you figure out how to make stuff with stuff. Impress your friends and family on what amazing talents you possess or embellish! Put together a pile of parts that stuns the visiting curator from the Whitney Museum! Come find out what the talented people of our community have to offer and share. BE INSPIRED. RADICALLY CREATE. If you are not already doing so, change the way you buy, consume and discard.